2024 International Education Study Program
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
2024 International Education Study Program
Program overview
Program overview
The PSBA Trust Institute (PSBA-IN), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), will host the first international study group in April 2024. The 15-member study group will focus on the educational system in Germany with the purpose of developing recommendations for Pennsylvania school districts to significantly enhance district academics, operations, facilities and culture.
Prior to traveling abroad, participants will engage on Zoom with education, business and government leaders from Germany to gain a basic understanding about their systems, academic approaches and policies.
During the week of April 14, the group will travel to Bonn, Cologne, and Dortmund, Germany, to tour schools and conduct meetings with education and civic leaders. These interactions will provide an overview of the German education system, including how it functions, achieves results and is funded, with the goal of gathering ideas that can be implemented in Pennsylvania’s school districts. Primary- and secondary-level school tours will provide first-hand experiences to gain a valuable understanding of the structure within the German education system and provide the opportunity to meet with school administrators, educators and students.
Additional discussions will be facilitated with key stakeholders within Germany’s education/apprenticeship system, including government officials, education agencies (federal and state ministries of education, city education departments), employer associations and unions.
To provide a wholistic understanding of the education system, tours of German corporations and manufacturers are planned so participants can observe on-the-job training opportunities and hear the employers’ perspective about the German education system.
Overall, the internal study group will participate in three to four meetings daily with key stakeholders in the German education system. These meetings may include working over lunch or dinner. Additional cultural programming will be included during the tour abroad.
Participant commitment
Participant commitment
Current Pennsylvania school board directors, superintendents, business managers, principals, and career and technical center (CTC) administrators serving in PSBA-member districts and CTCs are encouraged to participate.
Applicants must commit to:
- Attend three pre-trip Zoom meetings lasting approximately one hour
- Participate in the trip abroad from April 13-20, 2024
- Actively contribute to the work of a subgroup focused on documenting its learning from the sessions and contributing to articles to be published by PSBA-IN and PSBA
- Serve as a presenter/panelist at the 2024 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference (October 2024)
- Make a financial commitment of $250 towards the cost of the trip
Please note: Participants are responsible for personal expenses while in Germany and transportation/parking costs to and from Philadelphia International Airport.
PSBA-IN has secured outside funding to cover all direct program costs, including
- Roundtrip airfare from Philadelphia International Airport to Frankfurt, Germany
- Six nights of hotel accommodations in Germany
- Meals, transportation and meeting costs while abroad
Participation
Participation
The 2024 study group seeks a diverse team with varied experience and roles within the Pennsylvania education system. The study group will include elected school board directors, superintendents, business managers, principals and CTC administrators.
A selection committee will review all applications and develop a cohort of participants from across the commonwealth. All applicants must be current school directors or employees of a PSBA-member school district or CTC.
To apply, please send a current bio/CV, letter of interest and brief statement outlining your involvement in local education and desired learning outcomes from participation in the study group.
The deadline to submit application materials has passed. Accepted applicants will be notified in early December 2023.